Pencil sharpener



Jan. 13, 1931. 1.. H. CONSTANT 8 PENCIL SHARPENER Fi led Dec; 21. 1928 avwcwtoz pencil.

Patented. Jan. 13,1931

PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES LOUIS H. CONSTANT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PENCIL SHARPENER Application filed December 21, 1928. Serial No. 327,698.

One object of the invention is to provide a sharpener which, when applied to a pencil,

may be left thereon until the pencil is too short for further use and then transferred to another pencil.

Another object of the invention is to so form the sharpener that when it is applied to a pencil and rotated threads will be out in the pencil and, therefore, the device caused to move along the pencil as it is rotated to form a tapered end portion upon the pencil and sharpen the lead thereof.

Another object of the invention is to proride a sharpener which, when in place, will lit snugly about the tapered portion of the pencil and not only constitute means for sharpening the pencil but also brace its tapered end and thereby prevent the leadfrom easily breaking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is very simple in its construction and may be very cheaply produced.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the improved pencil sharpener in longitudinal section and applied to a pencil,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the passage and sharpener taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the sharpener.

The pencil which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 is of a conventional construction and when sharpened is formed with a tapered forward end portion 2 from which projects the sharpened end of the lead 3. The sharpener which is adapted to be applied to the forward end of the pencil is formed of sheet metal and has a tubular rear portion 4 of an even diameter throughout its length, as shown in Fig. 1, and a forward portion 5 which tapers towards its forward end where it terminates in a lead passage 6.

The rear portion 4 of the sharpener is internally threaded, as shown at 7, and is formed with longitudinally extending slits 8 which lead from its rear end. While two slits have been shown in the illustration,'it will be understood that the number may be varied. These slits are provided so that the rear portion of the sharpener may accommodate itself to the thickness of the pencil and thereby allow the sharpener to have proper engagement with the pencil without danger of being cracked when it is in use.

Since the rear portion of the sharpener body is internally threaded, threads 9 will be out into the pencil as the sharpener is rotated and, therefore, when the sharpener is applied to a pencil and rotated it will be moved longitudinally of the pencil and cause the pencil to be easily sharpened.

The tapered forward portion of the sharpener is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 10 having beveled side walls and against one side wall of the slot is applied a blade 11 which may be soldered or firmly secured in any other desired manner. This blade extends through the slot for the full length thereof and is of such shape in cross section that it projects into the body and is formed with a sharpened inner edge, as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, when the sharpener is applied to a pencil and rotated thereon until the forward end of the pencil is engaged by the inner cutting edge of the blade, the wood of the pencil will be pared therefrom similar to the manner in which a plane operates and the pencil will be formed with a tapered forward end from which a sharpened end portion of its lead projects. The sharpened end of the lead extends through the lead passage 6 of the sharpener and since the tapered forward portion of the sharpener fits snugly about the tapered forward end of the pencil it will constitute means to reinforce the forward end of the pencil and prevent the lead from easily breaking. When the portion of the lead projecting from the sharpener has been worn to such an extent that the pencil cannot be easily used or if the portion of the lead projecting from the forward end of the sharpener should break, it is merely necessary to rotate the sharpener and additional wood will be pared from the tapered forward end of the encil and during rotation of the longitudinally extending slot tudinally sharpener t e threads will cause the sharpener to move longitudinally of the pencil until a sharpened end of the lead projects through the lead/ passage 6 a sufiicient distance. It will thus be seen that the sharpener may remain upon a pencil until the pencil is too short to be conveniently used and then transferred to another pencil.

It will be equally obvious that the sharpener may be only temporarily applied to a pencil and removed therefrom after a sharpening operation has been completed or a sharpener sup lied upon each pencil and discarded wit the pencil when the pencil is too short for further use.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A pencil sharpener comprising a hollowbody having front and rear portions, the rear portion being tubular and having its walls internally threaded and split longifrom its rear end, the slot extending the full length of the rear portion and into the front portion, the front portion being tapered forwardly and at its forward end terminating in a lead passage, the walls of the forward portion being formed with a having beveled side walls conver 'n inwardly, ting blade secure at against one beveled side wall of the slot'and projecting inwardly through the slot and having a sharpened inner e go and its outer edge flush with and conforming to the transverse curvature of the outer surface of the tapered front por- 0 tion.

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